


Can You Describe the Relationship Between Your Two Characters?

by AnnaofAza



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-26 10:31:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6235132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaofAza/pseuds/AnnaofAza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We are nothing more to each other than a mentor and a protege. Just like in the film.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can You Describe the Relationship Between Your Two Characters?

Merlin rubbed his temples. “Did you two drink before you do interviews? Because if it was true, this is why we have a publicity team—to _plan_ announcements. Not blurt them out on live television!”

Crammed together in the tiny couch in his office, his three co-stars rode out the awkward silence that permeated the room. Two of them refused to look each other in the eye. The other, a smirking Roxy Morton, clearly was on the verge of giggling.

“You told Valentine and Gazelle you were _lovers_ ,” Merlin groaned, turning the computer screen towards them. Harry and Eggsy were on Valentine’s signature electric purple couch, heads turned towards each other with faint smiles, while Roxy was looking politely bored as the main host of _V &G _eagerly leaned forward to ask yet another question. “We’re lucky Chester King greenlit this film in the first place, even after his nephew was fired from the set!”

Eggsy protested, “Valentine kept asking Roxy if we were dating, and Roxy was about to punch him—“

“Oh, you’re _not_ blaming this on me,” Roxy interrupted, but her tone had more amusement than annoyance.

“So I…it’s…it was a joke.” Eggsy kept his gaze down, so he didn’t notice Harry’s expression. Merlin’s old friend actually looked _hurt._

The director briefly closed his eyes and prayed.

“Eggsy,” Merlin said slowly, “I couldn’t care less if you and Harry are…involved. I might have to talk to our scene editors, because honestly, you and Roxy act more like brother and sister than love interests on screen. Whereas…” He paused, thinking how just how many scenes he’d have to get the team to tweak. Amelia wouldn’t be happy.

Just a few years ago, Merlin decided to try his hand at something different from the sci-fi and spy films that made him a well-established director, and although he’d written the script for a Regency romance between a wealthy woman and poor stable hand in just five months, he hadn’t accounted for Harry Hart.

It had taken persuasion, threats, and a promise to cast him as an arse-kicking hero in his newest project to get him on board. Ever since Harry’s last Regency film twenty years ago, the one that made him a household name, Harry was determined to never be type-casted.

But it was too late. As Merlin was fond of telling him, he made the famous lake scene bed, and he’d have to lie in it. Forever.

In addition to Harry Hart, Merlin cast the newest rising star, Charlie Hesketh, as the lead, but he’d clashed with nearly everyone on set, especially the newcomers. Merlin wanted to bring fresh, young talent to the forefront, and both Roxy and Eggsy came fresh from the acting academy and ready to work hard. Eggsy, at first, had played a minor character, the stable hand’s best friend, but after Charlie disrupted too much of the filming schedule with his tantrums and childish pranks on Eggsy, Merlin fired him.

Charlie had quit in a fit that made the papers, but there was nothing he could do. Eggsy was now the lead, the handsome stable hand who admired the local, ambitious lady, while Harry was the lord who owned the estate Eggsy’s character worked at and trained him to be a gentleman to catch Roxy’s character’s eye.

Unfortunately, as Merlin quickly ran through all the scenes in his head, it looked like a forbidden, if even unrequited love—from Harry’s side. Eggsy properly played the eager young lad who wished to change his fortune, while Harry, who was supposed to be a fatherly figure, looked at him in a way in what Merlin could only describe as _soft._

It could have been a result of the candlelit rooms and the coziness of the lord’s office, but there was atmosphere, and there was _chemistry._ Merlin could certainly tell one from the other. The way his old friend took Eggsy under his wing after the latter’s nervous babbling about never having acted in a movie before, the different invitations to go out drinking at a local pub or eating at a nice restaurant after Merlin called for the day’s end, and the slightest trace of what looked like _pain_ during Roxy and Eggsy’s final scene, where they kissed in front of the estate, the location of their wedding—Merlin was annoyed that he hadn’t talked to Harry or Eggsy sooner.

“Merlin,” Harry said, finally, “you heard Eggsy. It means nothing.”

Merlin noticed the tiniest flinch from Eggsy and a quiet wince from Roxy. “Harry—“

“If you excuse me, Merlin, I have an appointment soon.” That was a flat-out lie, since Merlin and Harry had synced their calendars five years ago to figure out when to meet during their busy schedules. “I’ll see you all at the premiere.” 

Harry stood up to leave, and without looking back, walked out of the room.

* * *

“You know, you can’t keep avoiding him forever,” Merlin said. **  
**

Harry sighed, choosing to gulp down another mouthful of whiskey instead of responding. This was a routine for them; Merlin would drop by his house with a bottle unearthed from his stores, and both of them would get much too smashed and end up vomiting out their problems. This time around, however, Merlin was still nursing his first glass, while Harry was well into his fifth. 

“The premiere is next week, and you two will be interviewed together on the red carpet.” Merlin paused, before continuing, “The critics who already reviewed have noticed the looks you give the boy. We have some South Glade Mission Church group protesting against the film. You and Eggsy will have to make a joint statement about it.”

Harry took another sip. “You didn’t let me see the finished footage, so I don’t know if those people are looking too much into it. I’d rather not give an explicit statement if in the end, it’s nothing but lies.”

“Cameras don’t lie,” Merlin said.

“But they can be manipulated,” Harry drained the rest of it, and immediately wished that he hadn’t, so he couldn’t have an excuse not to talk. 

His friend’s voice softened. “Your affection for that boy is not the work of smoke and mirrors.” 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s real or not. He obviously doesn’t feel the same. More whiskey, if you will,” Harry ordered, holding out his glass. 

“No.” 

“You know we’ve drunk more than this. Let me have just one more.”

Merlin grabbed the bottle and clutched it close to his chest when Harry reached over to swipe it himself. “No. What you need is to talk to him.” He sighed. “Even if you’re wrong, and Eggsy doesn’t feel the same, it’s better to have an explicit confirmation.” 

“And break my heart in the process? Again?” Harry scoffed, well-aware that he was descending into his maudlin stage of drunkenness. “Not a chance. If you’re not going to pour me more whiskey, we might as well put on a movie. How does a nice, violent spy movie sound to you?”

* * *

“But I’ll never amount to anything,” Eggsy said onscreen, head lowered and hands trembling on his lap. His hair was almost golden in the lamplight, and Harry remembered how lovely he looked, with his long eyelashes and soft mouth. “I’m just a stablehand. I’m no gentleman.”

Harry saw himself, as the kind-hearted lord, gently touch Eggsy’s shoulder. “Listen to me. A gentleman is not someone of high class who knows which fork to use. A gentleman is someone who puts himself above others. And you are a true gentleman.”

Some people in the audience murmured soft _aww_ s. Harry didn’t dare to look at Eggsy, seated right beside him in his close-fitting tuxedo. Roxy, however, in the next seat over, was staring so hard at them that a few of the fellow actors near her were turning to see what the fuss was about. 

Harry stood up, then muttered, “Pardon me, restroom, excuse me,” as he tried to move quickly and without drawing too much attention to himself. He waved off a few stray reporters sitting in nearby seats and stumbled into the hallway, looking for somewhere to splash water on his face or to just hide for a few moments. 

Hearing footsteps, Harry sighed. “Merlin, I’m all right. Go back and watch your triumph.” 

“Not Merlin,” a familiar voice said. “Do you want to talk?”

Harry didn’t look at him. “We have nothing to discuss.”

“Do you really think that?” Eggsy asked, with a slight trace of annoyance in his tone. “Do you really think I was just taking the piss out on you? On Valentine and Gazelle?” 

“You haven’t led me to believe otherwise.”

“Damn it, Harry!” Eggsy kept his voice low, as to not draw attention from the crowd outside. “That night…”

“That was a drunken mistake.” Ghosts of touches, of muffled moans, of breathless laughter briefly crossed his mind before Harry ruthlessly replaced them with Eggsy protesting, _It was a joke_. “We are nothing more to each other than a mentor and a protege. Just like in the film.” 

“The film? What a laugh, Harry!” Eggsy snapped. “We’re mentor and protege as much as Edward Lewis and Vivian Ward were just a stuck-up businessman and a prostitute!” 

Something in Harry’s chest melted away the hurt, the anger, and the frustration. “You…you saw _Pretty Woman_?”

“You recommended it that night, you know.” Eggsy shoved his hands in his trousers. “Look, I…I really…I’m new to this whole thing. The acting and the…uh, romance thing?” His cheeks, even in the dim lights of the theatre, turned dark red, and Harry could feel his own face flushing. “We never talked afterward, and I thought you never…I thought it was over. And the reason I joked is because I wanted it to be _real_ , okay? There’s so many things in our way! You’re older!”

“Well, you’re _younger_ ,” Harry retorted, mind still trying to process all of Eggsy’s stuttered speech. 

“You’re _famous_! I have a poster on my wall from when I was in secondary!”

“You have potential ahead of you! This is your first role! You don’t have to confine yourself to…” _To me._ “You don’t have to keep in touch or keep mentioning me in interviews. You can make it on your own.”

Eggsy looked ready to throw up his hands. “I know that! But I don’t want to get my next role, and then just leave you behind!” He took a hold of both Harry’s hands. “Please, Harry. I want you. Not as a coworker or a…some kind of fellow actor. I want you as a friend, and more…if you want. I mean.” His grip loosened on Harry, who could tell that the young man was on the verge of pulling away. “You don’t have to.” 

As if he didn’t want to? How could he have been such a fool? How could have _both_ of them have been fools?

Harry was aware their absence was already noticed. That there would be more questions. More photographs. More pushy interviews. Was it worth it?

Looking at Eggsy, a young man he’d come to admire and love, Harry made his decision. 

“It won’t be easy,” Harry finally said. “But we can try.” 

Eggsy looked up at him. “So, is that a yes?” 

* * *

“So…there have been some rumors, but we’d like to know: what was the chemistry between your two characters?” a reporter later asked, holding a microphone at him on the red carpet. 

“We’re lovers,” Harry said, with his arm wound in plain sight around Eggsy’s waist, and was immensely pleased to see a full-blown smile on Eggsy’s face.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr.


End file.
